Baobab facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Baobab |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| African baobab | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Division: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: |
Adansonia
|
Baobab is the common name of a genus of trees (Adansonia). There are a total of eight types of its kind: six species live in the drier parts of Madagascar, two in mainland Africa, one in Australia and three in India. It is the national tree of Madagascar.
Other names
Other common names include 'boab', 'boaboa', 'bottle tree', 'the tree of life', 'upside-down tree', and 'monkey bread tree'. The trees reach heights of 5 to 30 meters (16 to 98 ft) and trunk diameters of 7 to 11 meters (23 to 36 ft.). Its trunk can hold up to 120,000 liters of water. For most of the year, the tree is leafless, and looks very much like it has its roots sticking up in the air.
Medicinal uses
Baobabs are one of the largest and most important trees in all of where they grow, as they are able to provide shelter and wood. The leaves of the tree are used for making soup and the tree has some medicinal purposes in some regions of Africa for treating ailments such as wounds, diarrhea, asthma, fever, and malaria.
Long life of baobab tree
The trees are long-lived, but just how long is disputed. The owners of Sunland Farm in Limpopo, South Africa have built a pub called "The Big Baobab Pub" inside the hollow trunk of the 22 metres (72 ft) high tree. The tree is 47 m (155 ft) in circumference, and is said to have been carbon dated at over 6,000 years old.
Other uses
The baobab tree is known as the tree of life, with good reason. It can provide shelter, clothing, food, and water for the animal and human inhabitants of the African savannah regions. The cork-like bark and huge stem are fire resistant and are used for making cloth and rope. The leaves are used as condiments and medicines. The fruit, called "monkey bread", is edible, and full of vitamin C. As of 2010 experts estimate the potential international market at a billion dollars($US) a year.
The fruit has a velvety shell and is about the size of a coconut, weighing about 1.44 kilograms (3.2 lb). It has a somewhat acidic flavour, described as 'somewhere between grapefruit, pear, and vanilla'.
The tree can store hundreds of liters of water, which is an adaptation to the harsh drought conditions of its environment. The tree may be tapped in dry periods.
Mature trees are usually hollow, providing living space for many animals and humans. Trees are even used as bars, barns, wine and beer shops and more.
Images for kids
-
Open flower showing distorted petals and the unfused ball of stamens set on top of the staminal tube
-
Bisected flower showing the style running through the staminal tube, bending, then projecting out of the stamens
-
The cut fruit from Mozambique
-
Baobab powder
-
Adansonia rubrostipa
-
Adansonia suarezensis
-
Adansonia digitata leaf
-
Adansonia digitata flower
-
Adansonia Pollen
-
Adansonia digitata hanging fruit
-
Adansonia rubrostipa, inside of fruit
-
Adansonia digitata seeds from the fruit
-
Elements of the fruit pulp of Adansonia digitata (clockwise from top right): whole fruit pulp chunks, fibers, seeds, powder from the pulp
.jpg)
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Baobab para niños
